NEW Cyborg Shipping!

[Bernice Daniels]

I have been dreaming of this project for years - so please excuse my excited geeky ramble...
I am so very pleased to announce we are now using Cyborgs for our shipping!
No really...

"What are you talking about crazy lady?
Over the past 3 months I have developed and tested an order picking app. This system involves an android device (yes I'm an android gal) and a bluetooth laser barcode scanner with finger trigger.
Shippers no longer pack orders from the order picking paper - but from a voice file that tells them to go to this bin and pick this many. They scan the bin to confirm its the correct one and the count is repeated twice.

Here is a pic of a very pleased yours truly using the new system.
We've been using the system almost exclusively for 6 weeks now. I have been picking orders to help shippers for over 12 years - and I prefer to pick using this system. Its way easier, more accurate - and hey its geeky fun!



"Why is this awesome for customers?"
No-one likes mistakes and this system reduces our low mistake count even further!
Our reported mistake count prior to using this system was less than 1% - it was closer to 0.5%. That's 1 mistake for every 200 orders. All of which we work with you to fix.
With this new system we expect closer to 0.1% or lower - that's 1 out of every 1000 orders.
(Yes I keep track - I am an engineer you know...)
Its very hard to pick the wrong item with the barcode double check - you have to go out of your way to do it!
The system also verbally prompts you multiple times over the process of picking an order to help double check the bag count and order weight.

The 2nd reason is that items that come from our manufacturing staff just for your order are now labelled - like titanium and spooled wire.

"So are you perfect now?" No
I am adding features to this app to help encompass filling bins and picking kits - we can still make a human error here but I'm working on folding in more details in the code.
We are only humans (with computer attachments) though so I know we will have the ingenuity to find a way to make a mistake still...so please don't post them here as rebuttal.
Update: These new features and many more were implemented in spring 2014 See this link for details

http://www.theringlord.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12528-trlis-is-live/


"Why is this awesome for TheRingLord?" The reasons are too many to list here - let me quickly summarize what I can think of now

• faster new shipper training with virtually no mistakes to catch from day 1
• the app tells shippers where an item is - with a shop full of 4500 products this really helps new people! (Update: now >7000 thanks to ease of use of this app!)
• potential for further improvement with inventory handling
• reduced order mistakes means reduced work for everyone and happier customers,
• this system makes order picking easier and more enjoyable - which makes it faster.
• order changes are easier - before we had to find the order paper and write on it. It could have been in any one of many places - now I just change the voice file and the shipper is prompted to pick the new order. The paper doesn't change though.

Thanks for reading my ramble!

[Blind Maille]

OK, that's a pretty cool new toy. . .Sorry bit of a tech head here myself and love hearing about newer methods of integrating technology with the human work force, especially when it isn't replacing the people, just making their work more efficient and enjoyable. Plus when one runs a business, efficiency is a way of life. Can see why you're happy about the new system, sounds like it'll make your work go a good bit smoother!

Now if only your bags came with braille labeling. . (Joking! Joking! . . I just rope my sighted girlfriend into helping me double check the order and sort them into their little storage containers XD )

[MarkyDaSod]

Pretty cool. I've never used a pick-to-voice setup before... Is it exclusively a pick system, or can it also be used for receiving, put-away, and/or product movement through you operation?

[Bernice Daniels]

MarkyDaSod: right now its pick only. Version 2 is in the works and I'm adding other functionality like inventory management.

[vampschainmaildesigns]

That is an incredible tool. I've been working in warehouses for over 15 years and such a device would have been very helpful in either order picking, shipping/receiving and more. I love the way you guys do it, you definitely seem to be very organized. How I'd love it if my job were as organized. Guess I'll have to move to Saskatchewan and apply at TRL! (lol kidding but seriously I'd love to!)

[MarkyDaSod]

Vamps, working in an RF environment, with the right software is such a joy. In the last twelve years, I've only had one inventory that wasn't 100% (99.87%). And that was due to human error - one of my guys received a part, but didn't put it away. If there was someone in his ear, that probably wouldn't have happened.

I'd love to be able to go to a pick-to-voice setup. It's so tiny compared to the big, bulky Symbol barcode readers we use - and it talks to you. Just listen, scan bin, scan part, move on. No need for my small parts pickers or forklift guys to stop to read that litte green screen. Tie in a comms sytems, and I wouldn't have to chase down the guy I need to talk to.

Oh, to dream...

[Pridemaille]

Ooohh!!! How Fauncy! Glad you guys are so tech-savvy!

[Brimley's Mom]

Do you also sort the items on the order for maximum picking efficiency (all in one aisle and the move to the next)? Sorry, I'm a bit of an organization freak and I love what you've accomplished.

[Bernice Daniels]

Brimley's Mom - yes. Our aisles are labelled and we sort the picking twice. First we go thru all relevant aisles picking all things that are in bags - like machine cut rings and findings. Then we pick all things that are weighed. They require a different type of picking so its easiest to do them all at once.

I just realized we then sort by parent product and then sort by color.... so we sort 4 times.

[Brimley's Mom]

I can tell you and I could have lots of fun setting up systems. Yes, setting up systems is "fun".

[calisandra]

we have the same bins where I work(it was part of a big organization project) but for some reason the stuff in yours makes me smile a lot more then the stuff in our, lol

[Bernice Daniels]

Mostly our bins are MUCH larger than those. See the background. Those bins are just for tiny stuff like small packets of beads.

Yes I had fun setting up this system.

[hockeyrink]

Very cool. We've been banging around an idea for similar system, but hadn't thought of using voice prompting. More detail, more detail!

[Bernice Daniels]

XML files for each order

Android TTS to speak to the shippers

BT Barcode scanner input double check in the code to prompt - right bin/wrong bin.

I got the base code SDK basically from the scanner supplier and went from there.

[Zeroignite]

You could probably monetize that app.

Edit: or better yet, release it as FLOSS software!

Edited October 26, 2012 by Zeroignite

[Bernice Daniels]

Yes I agree and I'd love too. Right now its a bit too customized with hardcoded bits to get it working quickly.

I'll think about this while I make version 2.

[Bernice Daniels]

I've decided to attempt to develop this app and release to the masses.

I have little time to spend on it and am seeking to hire an android coder to do the coding tweaks.

My goal is a generic version with extra features for inventory control. I would need ongoing assistance with upgrades.

If you fit this and are interested please email me.

I have no details at this time - its just a budding idea.

[sakredchao]

that was really fast..

does the rush service come with time travel? how can you get faster than what just happened?

do you offer other time travel services?

i know it hasn't shipped, but still. very nice.

now, your customers can obsessively stalk their orders instead of you!

Edited January 24, 2013 by sakredchao

[Dodecahedron]

If you receive a package today, please order it by tomorrow so it can have been shipped yesterday.

[Bernice Daniels]

Stage 2 of this app and system was launched in the spring of 2014. 

Click here to read about it

http://www.theringlord.org/forum/index.php?/topic/12528-trlis-is-live/#entry99461